Bloomberg: iPhone 18 Pro Price Hike Set at $100; Foldable iPhone Duo to Start at $1,999

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will cost $100 more than their predecessors, setting a new starting price of $1,199. That would push Apple’s Pro lineup beyond the previous $999 base price. Some analysts had previously predicted an increase of as much as $300.

Gurman also said the iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable, will start at $1,999, with higher-capacity versions reaching about $3,000. That is lower than rumored prices of $2,199, $2,299 or even $2,499. He wrote that Apple is absorbing some of its typical margins to hit the $2,000 price point, which keeps the device competitive with Android foldables priced as low as $1,800. Apple expects the iPhone Duo to be a big hit, and a marketable $1,999 price will help.

On colors, Gurman said the iPhone 18 Pro will be offered in Black, Light Blue, Silver and Burgundy. The return of black is likely to please buyers who missed that option on last year’s iPhone 17 Pro, which came in just three colors and had no black.

Other reported iPhone 18 Pro features include a smaller and improved Dynamic Island capable of showing up to three Live Activities, a revamped vapor chamber, and possibly a mechanical aperture on the Pro Max model. Developer Pdfu found code evidence suggesting the phone will charge up to 33% faster than the iPhone 17 Pro. AirPods 5, also expected today, will come in versions with and without a wireless charging case and include dramatically improved noise cancellation, according to Gurman. AirPods with cameras that Apple reportedly planned for this event have been delayed until next year.

Pre-orders for the new iPhones are expected to begin Sept. 12, according to reliable leaker ShrimpApplePro, one day later than Apple’s typical pattern because of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Pre-orders would open at the usual time of 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET.

MacRumors reported that Apple will expand its trade-in program today to offer better values for devices with minor cosmetic defects, such as small cracks on display glass, matching the values given for cosmetically perfect devices. The policy is expected to apply across Apple’s product range and take effect when the Apple Store comes back online after the event.

In a separate post, Apple CEO John Ternus, ahead of his first product unveiling in that role, shared a mysterious video that appears to tease a variable aperture camera on the iPhone 18 Pro. The video shows a spotlight shining on the corner of what looks like a device.